AME: The Evolution of Online Reviews
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Dr. Alan Mead, a dentist and podcaster, delivers a candid, self-aware critique of the evolving role of online reviews in modern marketing—especially in dentistry. He reveals that while reviews once dominated digital visibility, driving practices into Google’s coveted 'three-pack' and generating consistent patient calls, their influence has plateaued. Despite having 326 mostly five-star reviews, he admits his practice now receives few new ones, and he’s skeptical of their authenticity, noting that review manipulation—through paid reviews, review bombing, or even AI-generated content—is rampant. He shares personal anecdotes, including buying a dog bark collar based on glowing Amazon reviews that later underperformed, and reflects on how his wife trusts reviews more than he does. Mead argues that reviews peaked around 2016–2018 and are now less effective as a consumer decision-making tool, though they still help with local SEO. He questions whether the era of trust in user-generated content is over—and wonders if AI will soon replace or further distort the review landscape. The episode ends with a call to action for listeners to debate the future of reviews in the Very Dental Facebook group. The episode is a rare meta-commentary on digital marketing fatigue, blending humor, personal confession, and professional insight.
Online reviews peaked in importance around 2016–2018 and are now less effective for driving new patient calls despite still helping with Google local SEO.
Review fatigue is real: patients receive so many review requests via text that they’re increasingly ignoring them, making new reviews harder to obtain.
Review manipulation is widespread—companies pay for positive reviews, use AI to generate content, and some services can even remove negative reviews for a fee.
Old reviews (5–9 years old) may not reflect current quality; fresh, recent reviews are more reliable indicators of current service standards.
Consumers should be skeptical of 100% five-star reviews, especially on Amazon—highly curated review pools can be artificially inflated by gift cards, free products, or paid reviewers.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Introduction and Movie Recommendation
Dr. Alan Mead opens the episode with a personal recommendation for the movie 'Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,' praising its humor, action, and family-friendly tone. He shares his enthusiasm for the film, noting he bought it on Amazon Video and rewatched it with his son, finding it just as entertaining the second time.
The Rise and Decline of Review-Driven Marketing
Mead reflects on how online reviews became the cornerstone of dental practice visibility, replacing SEO and Yellow Pages as the primary driver of patient calls. He recalls a time when Podium and DemandForce delivered 5–6 reviews per day, but now new reviews are rare, suggesting the strategy has plateaued.
The Problem of Review Fatigue and Overload
Mead discusses how patients are overwhelmed by constant text messages—from appointment reminders, billing alerts, and review requests. He shares his own experience with text fatigue and how he uses Google Pixel’s archive feature to manage digital clutter, illustrating how review requests are now just another noise in an already saturated inbox.
Authenticity, Manipulation, and the Myth of Trust
“I went ahead and bought it as an expensive product. It was a couple hundred bucks. So interestingly, I have no idea if those reviews are true or not.”
The Peak and Plateau of Review Influence
“I think they peaked in about 2018, 2019 in their importance. And now I think... I just feel like... I think a majority of our reviews came around that time.”
“I went ahead and bought it as an expensive product. It was a couple hundred bucks. So interestingly, I have no idea if those reviews are true or not.”
“I'm such a skeptic about all this stuff. I'm like, how do we know that they're just not, they're just not buying reviews or manipulating reviews?”
“I don't know if they're weighing the old ones better or worse but as a strategy, I just don't know that it's as powerful as it used to be.”
Host
Dr. Alan Mead
person
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
media
Amazon
organization
Podium
organization
Very Dental Facebook Group
organization
Google Maps
organization
August D'Oliveira
person
Jason Lipskin
person
Yelp
organization
Josh Austin
person
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